I never thought I'd owe my life to an Afghan man, but here I am. Janis served as my personal interpreter throughout my 2008 deployment as an embedded combat adviser to the Afghan National Security Forces in Ghazni. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here -- it's that simple.

In defending their book, the editors of Poetry of the Taliban also argue that there is a great deal of value in learning about one's supposed enemy, whether you're a military captain or a responsible civilian. Most people would agree. But is reading a book of Taliban poetry the right way to learn?